


The Replacement

by Tobi_Boone



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-24 01:21:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4900099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobi_Boone/pseuds/Tobi_Boone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angelus has a new boy . . . and Penn suffers for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Replacement

**Author's Note:**

> A short little thing I did for Penn. Honestly he's barely mentioned outside of one episode of ATS so . . . here, have some Penn angst.

Penn woke to a loud clattering sound, his light colored eyes flew open and he sat up, groggily swinging his long legs over the edge of the bed and shuffled to the door, in time to see Dru rush in with a boy. He was about to call to them and find out what was going on but then there was Angelus, talking quietly to the two while Dru smiled that pretty smile that always melted their Sire's heart and then Angelus was grinning at the boy as they stood with their raised fists smouldering in a sunbeam as if that proved anything?

* * *

“Hello, I'm William.”

Penn blinked and slowly looked at the boy, tilting his head slightly at the shy smile and the extended hand, the redhead blinked again then stood up, standing a few inches taller than the newest edition of the family,

“ . . . Penn.”

William faltered when Penn simply turned and stalked off, “I-”

“Oh, don't worry about Penn, Willy,” Dru giggled, flouncing over in her frilly petticoats and wrapping her thin arms around William's neck, “He's always so moody.”

“I am not _moody_!” Penn shot back, baring fangs at her, “You stupid-”

“Penn.”

They all turned and there was Angelus, Penn lowered his gaze and waited patiently until he was beckoned into Angelus's study.

“Now, wot's got yer knickers in a twist, sweetling?” Angelus asked, sitting in the huge wing-backed leather chair behind his desk and he examined his manicured fingernails in a rather bored fashion.

“ . . . the new boy.” Penn murmured, looking down at his feet, “Why did you give Dru permission to turn him . . . ? I-I thought that me being the eldest, I'd get to do that first.”

Angelus sighed, “Ah, that. Well, ya see, lad, I ne'er gave her permission fer tha'. I will admit tha' I'm a bit put out that she would disobey me, but then, Dru isn't runnin' on all cylinders, now is she?”

“But-”

“An' I let the boy live because p'rhaps this would be a good opportunity fer the both o' ye. Show me ye can be a responsible, respectable vampire, teach the boy an' if all goes well, p'rhaps I'd be willin' ta let ye try, hm?” Angelus's mouth quirked up in one corner and he looked at Penn, “Yer a good boy, Penn, smart, quick-witted, an' responsible, so this shouldnae be a problem, hm?”

Penn grinned, he moved slowly over to Angelus's side, kneeling next to his sire's throne-like chair, “Thank you, Sire.” He purred softly, putting his head down on the Irish vampire's knee, “I'll make you proud, I promise.”

Angelus chuckled and stroked the redhead's soft hair, tugging at the short strands on the nape of Penn's neck, “Tha's better, me boyo, now go on an' play nice.”

* * *

It took Penn exactly one week to realize a few things about the new childe; William was taking advantage his new-found strength and speed to become an utter nuisance, he truly believed that Dru was all his, and it was almost impossible to get the blonde-headed twat to sit still and listen for more than a few moments.

If only that was the end of his list of grievances against precious little William . . . 

“Penn, what are ye doin'?”

Penn shifted his weight slightly where he was sitting wedged under a shelf in the kitchen pantry of their current lair, he barely glanced up at Angelus before tucking his head back into his arms and turning away, stifling a whimper.

“Penn, I'll nae ask ye again.” There was that impatient snarl that Penn was becoming accustomed to.

“Nothing.” Penn answered softly, biting his lip tightly between fangs.

“Out, now, Penn.” Angelus ordered, pointing to the spot next to him.

Penn reluctantly untangled himself and slowly got to his feet, brushing dust off his breeches, but it was a half-hearted, absentminded action borne of habit.

“Tch, look at the state o' ye! Now, tell yer sire what ye were doin' in the pantry.” Angelus crossed his arms on his broad chest.

“ . . . nothing.” Penn repeated, “Just wanted to be alone, that's all.”

Angelus tilted his head slightly back to look down his nose at Penn, “I see, an' why would ye rather be all alone here in the dark rather than up with the Family?”

Penn's lower lip quivered and he snuffled, “I'm not really part of it anymore am I?”

Angelus's eyebrows rose slightly and he set his jaw, “An' what gave ye that idea?”

Penn felt his last vestige of control slip away and he snarled, eyes reddened from crying glaring at the broad vampire, “Well, I can only image why! You and the others are all a titter about that whelp and I take a backseat to everything! I go out hunting and come back to an empty and dark house with a note saying you'd all gone out without me! Again! And that  _boy_ ! What's so special about him? Is he better looking than me? A faster study? What is it that suddenly has your eyes so riveted? Why-” Penn gasped, tears trickling down his face slowly, “Why don't you . . . love me anymore?”

Angelus tilted his head slightly and it was uncharacteristic of him to let anyone yell in his face, let alone Penn . . . the redhead stood trembling for a moment before one of the two reactions he expected happened. On one hand he thought his sire would take him in his arms and reassure him, whisper endearments and then let Penn feed from him; making Penn feel loved and not like he'd been cast aside, loved and welcome and like he belonged.

No, Angelus opted for the second option, one good swing was all it took to knock Penn off his feet and land him on his ass. The redhead yelped and clutched his jaw, staring up at Angelus miserably.

“I'll thank ye ta keep a civil tongue in that head o' yers, Penn,” The dark vampire murmured, picking a piece of lint off his jacket sleeve and straightening his lapels, “Also,” And here Angelus made eyecontact, “Yer not bein' replaced, not yet, anyway.”

Penn was left to nurse his bruised cheek on the stone floor of the kitchen.

* * *

Penn held the squealing blonde by the throat, his other hand raised with a stake clutched tightly in it. William scrabbled to be free, his burning blue eyes locking on Penn's and the redhead saw something spark and ignite there, it wasn't hatred or fear . . . it was pity.

There was a thump and a clatter as Penn dropped both the boy and the stake and staggered back into the wall, he stared down at William as the younger vampire jumped to his feet, ready to fight but Penn just turned and slowly stumbled away.

He couldn't kill him, even though he hated William with every fiber of his being, the pain the foolish poet had caused him had thrummed in his body like a pulse and with every beat he ached for the end to his suffering. Penn clutched at his chest as he slowly walked to the room that was apparently his, as far from the Family as he'd ever been. Penn collapsed on the bed and couldn't even cry.

* * *

It was over. Penn stared around the empty house, no furniture, no lights, and the last whiffs of his coven's scent was rapidly going stale. The redhead slowly moved to the middle of what had once been the family room and slid to his knees.

They'd abandoned him, left without a word while he was out hunting . . . he felt the resentment and sorrow welling up in his chest, the same feeling as he'd had when his father had recounted what a disappointment he was all those long years ago. He'd tried! He'd done everything he'd been asked! He didn't buck and fight the bridle like William had! He'd been good and obeyed without question, he'd given everything he had to give! He'd bent under Angelus's will and been happy to do it!

Penn felt the tears but there was no noise or feeling behind them, it was as if his human body was mourning for what his demon had already known was gone. He longed for what had been, for when Angelus would stroke his hair and murmur softly to him. He even longed for when he'd make a mistake and his sire would paint stripes on his backside with a belt, just to feel that he was worth the trouble.

Penn breathed in slowly and shook his head.

He was alone.

A vampire all alone.

Penn hugged himself tightly because there was no one to do it for him.

* * *

“I found you.” Penn whispered softly, standing under a carport as he watched Angelus, now 'Angel', walk out of his office and hurry down the street.

Penn felt his undead heart constrict for his beloved Sire, but it was quickly squashed when it remembered the pain of being all alone, abandoned and forsaken. The hatred overtook the love and longing and a plan began to form, a sinister, attention-grabbing plan that was sure to prove that  _he_ was the most worth of Angel's love!

He would show the great Irish asshole that he had learned a thing or two while on his own.

 


End file.
